06.03.08
Red Pill, Blue Pill
As I was just about to throw my empty prescription bottle in the recycling bin, and being very grateful that my city takes no. 5 plastics, I wondered what options there are for cities that don’t accept anything but a no. 1 or 2 plastic. I did some checking, and there aren’t tons of options, but there are a few. Apparently, many pharmacies won’t take them because after too many reuses, the child-proof ability of the caps begins to break down. (Don’t they know that kids are the only ones who can get those things open?)
Some veterinary clinics and animal shelters reuse the bottles for giving out doses of medication to furry patients, so check with your local vet clinics. Or, you could send them to Jacob Willard in West Virginia for his 4H project. If you have a plastic lumber manufacturer near you, they’ll take most types of plastics. Everyone has thought of using them to keep screws, craft supplies, etc (after thoroughly washing, of course), but one of the coolest reuse ideas I found is to keep plants watered by punching a hole in the bottom, burying it in the dirt and watering.